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Soccer_kids

Feature Article February 26

Feature Article February 26, 2004

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Central Frontenac Soccer kids needed

This week, a flyer will be going out to students in Central Frontenac Schools asking them for expressions of interest in joining a new soccer league.

Malcolm Sampson, newly arrived in Arden, is starting up the league, and he is hoping to have a team in place in each age division for the inaugural soccer season this summer.

Sampson has taken a circuitous path to Arden. He emigrated from England in 1967, and in 1975 he set up a soccer league in Allliston, where he was living at the time. In 1976 the company he was working for transferred him to Chicago, where he ended up staying until last November. After developing health problems, he decided to return to Canada, and through his friend Dick Pringle he moved to Garrison Shores.

Looking around at the facilities in the area, he found a good soccer pitch at the High School in Sharbot Lake, and other pitches behind the schools in Mountain Grove and Parham. Smaller fields can be used for children in the 9 and under age group, who play mini-soccer. Sampson is planning to have at least three teams in three other age groups to round out the league, and will work out an interlocking schedule based on the numbers and ages of participants. He anticipates a registration fee in the $15-$20 range and will be looking to do registration in early April. For now, he wants to hear expressions of interest by March 5. Anyone who wants to get involved in coaching or doing other volunteer work for the league, is asked to phone Malcolm Sampson at 335-3664

While a Soccer League is new to Central Frontenac township, the Central Frontenac Soccer League (the league pre-dates the new geographical divisions in the County) has existed in the Sydenham-Harrowmith-Yarker-Verona for more than 20 years. Sharon Hannah, who has been the leagues President for more years than she can remember, told the News soccer has been growing steadily in popularity throughout that time. Last year there were about 770 kids on more than 60 teams in the League. We offer our own coaching clinic each year, and encourage coaches to take certified courses as well, Sharon Hannah said. Recently, the league started an under 18 division, and there are 60-80 kids in that age group playing. The league is mixed all the way through the age groups, and encourages recreational soccer. There are no league standings and in the younger ages even the season ending tournament does not lead to a single championship winning team.

If Malcolm Sampson can have even a fraction of that kind of participation with his new venture, his League should be a great success. But now, what is he going to call it? It cant be the Central Frontenac Soccer League; the name is taken. It cant be the North Frontenac Soccer League, that name might be taken as well. What about Northcentral Frontenac Soccer, or Southnorth Frontenac Soccer, or MidFrontenac Soccer, or

With the participation of the Government of Canada